We decided to pack separate bags for each stage: labor/delivery, postpartum, baby and my husband’s brilliant idea of a “just in case” bag. And leave everything in the car except for the particular bag we need for that stage. That way we can bring a lot but not have to carry it all at once into the hospital room..
We have a large SUV, so we felt it was better to bring all we think we MIGHT need, since space isn’t an issue, rather than have to drive 20 minutes home and 20 back for that one thing.

Our labor bag:

This is the only bag we’ll be bringing in with us INTO the hospital when we first check in. Plus a few items that are too big to pack into a bag.

1. Swim trunks for hubby in case he needs to get in the shower/bath with me

2. Lavender oil diffuser. I’ve been using lavender oil while meditating to set a relaxing association, so arometherapy should help me relax even further in an unfamiliar environment while laboring

3. Fuzzy socks. I am a huge fan of warm soft “fuzzy” socks, so I got some for myself and thicker socks for hubby to walk around the room and be comfy in

4. Pretty pushers delivery gown for the labor. It has the perfect monitor and spinal (if needed) access and is meant to be disposed of once the delivery is over.

5. Super old comfy flats for the hospital

6. Flash difusser. I honestly don’t believe we’ll use it, since hubby isn’t “trained” to use flash, but I thought I’d put it in just in case. On top of it, lots of hair ties and a few headbands

Our post partum bag:

Towels. I packed old-ish towels, since half of you said they loved having their own towels and others didn’t like the idea of ruining them.

More Target underwear I don’t mind throwing out afterwards.

Lounge clothes for me that I don’t mind ruining, as well as some leggings and tops for when visitors come.

Breastpads

Toiletries, mother’s milk tea, nipple cream

The biggest pads I could find

More fuzzy socks :)

My favorite item: cute designer hospital gown from Dear Johnnies. This will be the middle ground between wearing my own clothes and an ugly hospital gown. The nurses will have easy access to check me, and I will still feel cute ( well as cute as you can feel immediately after labor haha)

Not Pictured:

Blow up mattress for hubby to sleep on ( rather then the horrible pull out couch), since he’ll be spending every minute at the hospital

Tarp to put on the floor under the mattress so that it wasn’t gathering all kind of nasties from the hospital floor

Make up bag

Sweater

Sleep and nursing bras

A miracle healing lotion from Zita West (I’ll be blogging about this one- it’s amazing)

Our laptops

Lactation consultant’s number

Fuzzy robe ( do you notice a pattern? I love fuzzy fluffy things)

My going home outfit from Boob Design‘s spring line (that I didn’t even have at the time of writing this)

Our baby bag (my favorite):

This gets brought out from the car after the deliver is over and we’re in the recovery room.

A few cloth diapers. As a new cloth diaper-er and a new mom, I am of course completely lost at the prospect of cloth diapering, I am hoping I’ll figure things out as I go. The reason why I packed 5 of them is because I don’t know how each brand will fit. After each day, I will give my mom a bag of dirty diapers and she’ll bring clean ones the next day. Luckily, babies aren’t supposed to poop too much in the first 2 days.

RH Organic outfit: gown and hat. In case none of the pants/onesies fit

Socks and a few more organic outfits of different lengths and sizes

Cloth wipes (with a tea tree oil solution I made. Not pictured)

Wet diaper bag to store dirty diapers in until my mom can take it home to wash.